The present invention relates to the field of television speakers. More particularly, the present invention relates to the field of television speaker boxes and methods for enclosing speakers inside television units.
As television sets have become more readily available for consumers of all classes, a variety of options have become available for consumers to choose from when buying a television set. For example, consumers can choose what size of screen they would like to view, and the quality of sound that is associated with the television set. Consumers who prefer a television set that produces an image using a cathode ray tube, and prefer larger screens as well, often choose from 27-inch screens, 32-inch screens, and 36-inch screens. However, the weight of the television increases with the screen size. This is partly due to the size of, and materials used to make the components such as the speaker box assembly for the larger television sets. A current 36-inch television speaker box assembly is very heavy when compared to the speaker box assembly for a 32-inch or 27-inch television. This is partly because the speaker box assembly for each of the television sets is a different size, with larger and heavier assembly parts being used for larger television sets. The lack of standardization of the speaker box assemblies also produces inefficiency in television set production, resulting in greater costs for the manufacturer.
In order to make television sets price competitive, it is important to reduce the amount of material used. However, it is important when considering redesigning speaker box assemblies to ensure that reduction in material does not result in loss of speaker box strength. Any new speaker box assembly design must take into consideration the need to have sufficient mechanical strength or stiffness to resist sound vibration, and at the same time create good quality sound for the whole speaker box assembly.
Speaker box assemblies conventionally include two components: a speaker baffle and a speaker cover. Conventional television set speaker baffles utilize the concept of flat surfaces with reinforcing rib structures. While this design provides the necessary stiffness to withstand sound vibration, the speaker baffles are relatively heavy, since more plastic material is used to form webs of reinforcing ribs. Conventional television set speaker covers are also produces using the concept of flat surfaces with reinforcing rib structures, and also have the shape of a one-side opened rectangular box. While this design provides the necessary stiffness to the part and provides sufficient enclosure volume for sound reproduction, the speaker covers are relatively heavy, again because a great amount of plastic material is used to form webs of reinforcing ribs.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to meet the above-described needs by standardizing a speaker box assembly for television sets of different sizes, or having different sized screens. Other objects of the invention are apparent from the following description of the invention and the drawings included herewith.
The present invention includes a television set speaker bracket that has a stepped inclined surface that is sized to closely fit inside a stepped inverted semi-frustum surface of a television set speaker cover, at least one attachment member for attaching the speaker bracket with said speaker cover, and a stepped inverted surface that mates with a television set speaker boss. In one embodiment, the television set using the bracket can be the type having a 32-inch viewing screen or a 36-inch viewing screen. In such case, the speaker cover can be the same size as that used in a television set having a 27-inch viewing screen.
The television set speaker boss is disposed on an interior surface of a rear cover of said television set. The stepped inverted surface of the bracket has a stepped portion and an inverted surface. The inverted, semi-frustum shaped surface acts as a guide for the easy engagement of the speaker bracket and the speaker boss. In order to provide a best fit and easy installation, the stepped inverted surface that mates with the television set speaker boss is a semi-frustum shaped surface.
The present invention also includes a television set that has in combination a speaker cover having a stepped inverted surface as described above, a speaker boss that is attached to an interior surface of a rear cover of the television set, and the speaker bracket described above, having a stepped inclined surface that is sized to closely fit inside the stepped inverted surface of the speaker cover, at least one attachment member for attaching the speaker bracket to the speaker cover, and a stepped inverted surface that acts as a guide for the easy engagement of the speaker bracket and the speaker boss as described above. The stepped inverted surface of the bracket is a semi-frustum shaped surface. The speaker cover is of a size that is used in a television set having a 27-inch viewing screen.
The stepped inverted surface of the bracket has a stepped portion and an inverted surface, the inverted surface acting as a guide for the easy engagement of the speaker bracket and the speaker boss. The attachment member can be one or more screws. In such a case, the speaker cover includes a first bore, and the bracket includes a second bore. The screw then extends through the first and second bores.
The television set further includes a speaker baffle that has a corrugated surface. The corrugated surface is formed with a curvature that fits the speaker baffle around a cathode ray tube in the television set. The corrugated surface has a plurality of crests and valleys, that can extend in a direction that is perpendicular to a valley formed by the curvature. The uppermost portions of the crests can share a common plane. The valleys of the corrugations can each have a bottom-most surface, where the bottom-most surfaces also share a common plane.
The present invention also includes a method for standardizing speaker box assemblies for television sets having different sized speakers. A speaker box assembly is provided that includes a speaker cover having a stepped inverted surface. A speaker bracket is also provided. The speaker bracket is then installed onto the speaker cover using a securing member. Then, a surface of the speaker bracket is mated with a speaker boss disposed on a cover of the television set.
The speaker bracket used in the method can have a stepped inclined surface that is sized to closely fit inside the stepped inverted surface of the speaker cover. If so, the step of installing the speaker bracket onto the speaker cover includes fitting the stepped inclined surface of the bracket with the stepped inverted surface of the speaker cover. To make a close fit, the stepped inclined surface of the bracket is a semi-frustum shaped surface, and the stepped inverted surface of the speaker cover is also a semi-frustum shaped surface.
The speaker bracket used in the method can also have a stepped inverted surface. If so, the step of mating a surface of the speaker bracket with a speaker boss includes mating the stepped inverted surface of the speaker bracket with the speaker boss.
The at least one securing member can include a screw. If so, the speaker cover includes a first bore, and the bracket includes a second bore. The screw extends through both the first and second bores.
The speakers can be components of a television set having a 32-inch viewing screen, or components of a television set having a 36-inch viewing screen. In either case, the speaker cover is of a size that is used in a television set having a 27-inch viewing screen.
The method can also include forming the speaker box with an elliptical frustum surface having steps that create an increasing circumference at fixed intervals along a length of the speaker box. The speaker box can also be formed to have grooves that run along the length of the speaker box, perpendicular to the steps.
The method also can include the step of attaching a speaker baffle to the speaker box. The speaker baffle can have a corrugated surface where corrugations are formed along a length of the surface. The speaker baffle supports a plurality of speakers. The speaker baffle is further described above.
Also, the present invention includes a television set speaker cover that includes an elliptical frustum surface having steps that create an increasing circumference at fixed intervals along a length of the speaker box. The speaker cover further includes grooves that run along the length of the speaker box, perpendicular to the steps. The speaker cover has a stepped inverted semi-frustum surface as described above.
The present invention further includes a television set speaker baffle that has a corrugated surface, where corrugations are formed along a length of the surface. The speaker baffle supports a plurality of speakers. The corrugated surface is curved to allow the baffle to fit around a cathode ray tube in the television set. The corrugated surface is formed with a curvature that fits the speaker baffle around a cathode ray tube in the television set. The corrugated surface has a plurality of crests and valleys that can extend in a direction that is perpendicular to a valley formed by the curvature. The uppermost portions of the crests can share a common plane. The valleys of the corrugations can each have a bottom-most surface, where the bottom-most surfaces also share a common plane.
Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows or may be learned by those skilled in the art through reading these materials or practicing the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be achieved through the means recited in the attached claims. To achieve these stated and other objects, the present invention may be embodied and described as follows.